A Day at the Park
by Litta
Summary: As Richard sits a park, once again performing another task for Ben, he thinks about his life and about the things he wants but cannot have. He meets a woman who sticks in his mind. What will he do about this intriguing woman? RichardOC.
1. Chapter 1

Richard sat on the bench, baking under the Florida sun. The humidity was causing him to sweat, yet still he sat. Ben had asked him to find Juliet's sister, Rachel, and videotape her for some reason. He did as he was told, so here he was sitting at a park. There were only two other men, dads playing with their children. The rest were all mothers and their kids. Despite the heat, they were all out here, playing in the sun and having fun together as a family.

He had only vague memories of his childhood, having lived quite a long time, but they didn't include playing with either of his parents at parks with other children. Everyone looked so happy. The mothers were thrilled to be mothers, and the children made friends with each other and played games only they knew the rules to. Sometimes he could tell they were pretending to be heroes in other worlds, while others were playing simple games like tag or hide-and-seek.

On the island he was busy giving advice to Ben and ferrying messages between him and Jacob. He was a sort of guide and messenger to the leader of their group, and had been for many years. But occasionally he had to travel off the island and mingle with society. And those times were hard. Such times as these, like watching families having fun together, he became aware of his own biological clock. It may have been buried deep under the years of living on the island, but it was still there. He was still human, and had those same desires and wants as everyone else. He too wanted to fall in love with a wonderful woman, marry her, and start a family. But his gift to not age was also a curse.

"Hello there."

Richard looked up into a friendly face. She was a woman around his visible age, he guessed around her early thirties. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a loose pony tail, with a few strands escaping to fall in front of her face. He'd seen her playing with a young boy earlier. Glancing around, he saw the boy was now playing with a group of boys and girls.

"Hello," he responded pleasantly.

"I noticed you've been sitting her for awhile. Are any of these children yours?" Richard gave a quick laugh before answering.

"No, I was just sitting and watching. I enjoy seeing families interact with one another, especially small children. Your son seems to be enjoying himself." They watched as he climbed to the top of the playground equipment and gave a shout, obviously announcing some kind of victory to his group of playmates. They chuckled together.

"He's not my son," she clarified, "just a nephew; my brother's boy, actually. He makes friends quickly. But he also has an endless amount of energy that I do not." She laughed again. It was a pleasant sound, he noticed.

"I'm Richard."

"Kayla." She shook his outstretched hand.

"Do you bring your nephew out here often, Kayla?"

"Mmhmm. His father, my brother, works late a lot, so I agreed to pick up Geoff whenever he needs me to. I don't mind. My schedule's very open and flexible, so I'm happy to help. Do you have any nieces or nephews?"

"No, unfortunately; I was an only child." Richard tried to bring back memories of his childhood in case this woman asked questions, but the details had slowly blurred over time.

"When I came over here you looked a little sad. Was something bothering you?"

"No, I was just thinking."

Kayla raised her eyebrows slightly, inviting him to open up to her. He recognized the gesture. He'd seen it often enough, though never had it been used on him. He couldn't explain what he'd been thinking about, she wouldn't understand, and yet he found himself opening up to this stranger. She seemed nice enough, and he realized he needed to talk to someone about it, even if it didn't change his situation.

"I was only wishing I could have a family someday, but unfortunately that will never happen."

"Why is that?" He paused, thinking of the best way he could explain.

"Due to a certain physical, condition, I can't ever marry a woman and start a family. It's just not feasible. So as much as I enjoy watching families having fun together, it's painful. I wish I could experience the joy of watching my own child grow and learn, play with other children, even look like me. I could teach my child so much. I'd love to come out to a park to play with my child, and I'd love to come home from a day at work to a loving wife." Kayla put her hand on his arm, a comforting gesture.

"Is there any cure for this condition you have?" A small, ironic smile played on Richard's lips.

"No, unfortunately. At first I thought it might be a gift, but times like these make me see it as a curse."

He sighed, knowing he had to get back to the island. Ben had said something about possible 'visitors,' and knowing Ben, he'd have lots of questions for him and Jacob. Part of him wanted to give up, just forget about the island, and find a woman who loved him despite his unique circumstances. But he knew it would never work. Marrying a man who would never age, who was still young and fit when you were old and senile, would be an impassible wall for any woman. No, he needed to leave, and he needed to leave now. Lingering at this park had been a bad idea.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully they'll find a cure and then you can have a family of your own to enjoy."

"Thank you. And thank you for listening."

"No problem, I'm glad I could." Richard shook her hand again and stood up to leave. "Will I see you around here again?" She smiled up at him, hopeful. He wished he could sit down again and continue talking, but it was no use. Reality, or whatever one would call life on the island, was waiting for him.

"I'm afraid not. It was nice to meet you, Kayla."

"You too, Richard."

She waved as he walked off, and then rejoined her nephew on the playground. He watched for a minute more, treasuring the sight of them playing together. But then he turned around, reminding himself of why he was needed on the island, of why Jacob needed him. And so he left Kayla and her smile behind, determining that one day, some day, he _would_ have a family of his own to love and enjoy.


	2. Chapter 2

It was time to visit Jacob. Ben didn't need his advice for anything at the moment. He was too preoccupied with the plane crash survivors. Richard was keeping an eye on John Locke, but that was all for the moment. So while he could, he was going to visit Jacob. The trek to the statue wasn't hard. He was careful to erase his trail so no one could follow him, especially one of the survivors or Danielle Rousseau. Once inside, Jacob appeared and greeted him.

"Hello Richard," he said. There was that same note in his voice, making him sound like he knew what you had come to say but was patient enough to let you say it all the same.

"Jacob," he replied, with a slight nod of his head.

"What questions does Ben have now?"

"No questions from Ben. I've come for myself this time."

Jacob gestured to two chairs off to the side. Together they sat, neither speaking. Richard knew Jacob was waiting for him to speak, but he was suddenly worried. What if Jacob didn't approve of Richard's request? He had never seen Jacob angry, but surely he was prone to anger like the rest of them. The last thing he wanted to do was upset Jacob. And he especially didn't want to appear ungrateful for everything Jacob had done for him. Richard struggled to find the right words.

"Jacob, you once told me that after everything was finished here on the island, you would give me the chance to have a normal life."

"I did." Jacob nodded, motioning Richard to continue.

"I was just wondering if you knew when that time would come."

Richard always appeared confident around Ben and the group. He never showed much confusion. Jacob gave him the answers he needed, and even if there was something he didn't know, he kept his cool and thought things through. Only with Jacob did he ever show his vulnerability, his questions and fears. Jacob was kind enough to never betray that trust or hurt Richard by using that vulnerability against him. Now he waited to see what Jacob said.

"I don't know what the future holds, Richard, but I know events are still being played out. John Locke is now on the island, and we both know he will be important in the events to come. Why do you want to know? Has something happened to you?"

"No, not exactly." He paused, wondering how best to explain his reasons for wondering. "When I was off the island, looking at Juliet's sister for Ben, I watched mothers and fathers play with their children. It reminded me of how much I want to have my own family someday. So I was just wondering if you knew how far off that time may be."

"I see." Jacob nodded, more to himself than Richard, thinking for a minute before saying more. "And did you meet a woman while you were sitting at that park?"

Richard couldn't help but smile. Jacob always had a way of getting to the heart of the matter, figuring out what a person was really saying or asking. Richard knew he'd never mentioned Kayla upon his return, but Jacob must have seen through Richard's questions. Something had to have happened out there to make his suddenly wonder how much longer he would evade aging.

"Yes, I did speak with a woman. It was only a few minutes, but I enjoyed her company." Richard then explained their brief conversation, excluding the part of calling Jacob's gift to him a curse. He did appreciate what Jacob had done for him, but wanted to avoid any offense.

"Perhaps you should give her a call," Jacob said after Richard had finished. Richard gave him a quizzical look.

"She didn't give me her number, so it would inappropriate for me to call her."

"I'm sure you could come up with a good excuse, and you know it would be easy enough to get the number. If she's the person you think she is, I'm sure she'll look past the unexpectedness of the call and enjoy hearing from you, as much as you'll enjoy speaking with her again."

Richard thanked Jacob and took his leave. He knew Jacob had things to do. As he walked back to the camp, he pondered over Jacob's suggestion. Yes, it would be easy to get her information and call her, but what would he say? How could he possibly explain getting her number? All he knew about her was her first name. And if she did look past that mystery, how would she feel about him calling her? What would they talk about? He didn't know anything about her. Richard continued to debate this issue until he arrived at the camp, by which time he had decided what he would do.

"Hello Richard," Ben said when he returned. "Where have you been?"

"I was speaking with Jacob. Don't worry; it's nothing that concerns you." Ben gave him a questioning look but said no more. He knew when Richard wasn't going to explain himself, and let the man continue walking.

He used the computers in the Flame Station to find Kayla's number. It took a little searching, but he found it. He double checked to make sure it was a decent hour to call her, and then he dialed the number. While it was ringing, Richard kept going over the story in his head. He wanted to make sure it was believable.

"Hello?" he heard Kayla answer on the other end.

"Hello Kayla, it's Richard, from the park?" He ended his greeting as a question, wanting to make sure she remembered him.

"Oh, hi. How are you?"

"I'm doing well. How are you?"

"I'm okay. Geoff's been sick this week, so I'm off park duty until further notice." He could hear her smiling through the phone, causing him to smile unconsciously. "Hey, how did you get my number? I don't remember giving it to you."

"No, I looked you up. It was a little difficult without your last name, but I managed."

"Wow, that's impressive. You must have really wanted to talk to me." She started laughing, and Richard laughed with her, thankful she wasn't suspicious.

"Something like that. I didn't get to talk with you very long at the park, and I wanted to get to know you a little more. I thought a phone call would be best."

"Well what do you want to know?"

Richard was taken aback. He wasn't prepared for such openness. She had no problem with him finding her number and calling her up without warning, nor did she seem afraid about answering personal questions. He'd been preparing to start with simple questions, in order to relax her and get her to open up. Instead he had to rethink his strategy quickly.

"You mentioned your schedule was very flexible, allowing you to take Geoff to the park. What do you do for a living?" He longed to ask her how old she was, as his ability to decipher ages had diminished somewhat with time, but he knew better than to ask a woman her age.

"I'm a writer. I've written several short stories and one collection of poems, and I also act as an editor for several other writers. But I really want to write a fiction novel; I just haven't found the right story to tell yet. What do you do for a living?" He'd already thought up an answer to this question, knowing it would come up sooner or later.

"I'm an advisor for the leader of a research group." It was vague, but it was the best way of answering her questions without outright lying to her, something he hoped to avoid. "When you aren't writing or taking Geoff to the park, what do you do with your free time?"

"I enjoy reading a lot, not a big surprise I'm sure. I also really like hiking and camping. Being outside usually inspires me. That's why I never mind taking Geoff to the park. It gets me out of my apartment."

"What kind of books do you enjoy reading?" By now Richard had sat down and made himself comfortable. No one was around to bother him, and he wanted to enjoy this brief moment of pleasure, knowing it would have to end eventually.

"I like mysteries, thrillers, and crime novels. I enjoy trying to figure out the twists and who did it."

"Yes, that can be fun. I enjoy reading books as well, though I don't have as much time for recreation as I'd like."

"Does this advising job take up most of your time?"

"Yes. You could say I'm on call 24/7."

"That's unfortunate."

Richard noticed Mikhail enter the room again, obviously needing to do something. Ben must have contacted him. Either way, it was time to end the call.

"It's not always bad. But, speaking of my job, I need to cut our conversation short. I'm glad I got to speak with you again, though."

"Yes. Feel free to call again, and leave a message if I'm not here. I'll call you back."

"Thank you, I might do that. Goodbye, Kayla."

"Bye, Richard."

He hung up, already wondering when he'd have the time to make another call. It wouldn't be for awhile, but he could wait. Of all the things he did well, waiting was one of them. After all, he'd waited over fifty years for John Locke to arrive. Waiting a few days or even weeks to call Kayla again wouldn't be hard for him. Hopefully it wouldn't be too long though, or she might forget about him. As he left the station, Richard chuckled at himself. He only met this woman once, and already she had affected him more than anyone else on the island, save Jacob.


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you ready?" Richard asked for a third time. Normally he was never this impatient. Living forever allowed a person to develop an enormous amount of patience with people. But for once in his life he was anxious to get going.

"Yep, got everything I need," Tom told him. "You think I'll be able to convince him?"

"I'm sure you can. Ben told you everything you need to say, right?" Tom nodded. "Good. Then just do what you're supposed to and Michael should cooperate." Tom nodded once more.

Tom rarely left the island, so he was planning on spending a few days there and enjoying himself. Richard, on the other hand, was one of the few people who could leave the island more frequently, but it had never held so much promise for him as this time. He would travel to Los Angeles with Tom, but then they would separate. Tom had a plane to New York while Richard had one to Miami.

After the first call to Kayla, Richard made a few more. He enjoyed talking with her. She was oblivious to the drama on the Island, unaware of his struggles with Ben and the Flight 815 survivors. She talked about normal things, allowing him to escape from the Island and pretend he lived a normal life. He learned about her brother and his family, her parents, some of the story ideas she had, and some she'd written. She always seemed hesitant about them, as if they weren't good enough, but he encouraged her to pursue them regardless. It was said you're your own harshest critic, and it seemed true for her. But he loved every minute of talking with her.

He'd been upset when Locke blew up the Flame Station because it had destroyed his only way of communicating with Kayla from the Island. He hadn't had a chance to speak with her since, and he hoped she hadn't been hurt from his lack of contact. But now, as he waited for his flight, he used a pay phone and called her. He longed to hear her smiling voice, and also wanted to let her know he'd be back in Miami soon. The phone rang, but she didn't answer. Instead he left a message, telling her was going to be in town and wondered if they might meet while he was there. Then he got on his plane.

"Hi, Richard," Kayla said when he called her from Miami. He called her immediately when he reached his hotel. He'd memorized her number after their first phone call.

"Hello, Kayla. Did you get my message?"

"I did. Sorry I didn't answer before; I was out doing some shopping. When did you arrive in Miami?"

"Not too long ago." He paused briefly, gathering courage and finding the right words for his next question. "I was wondering if you were free tomorrow around lunch time. Perhaps we could get some coffee together and talk?"

"Um . . ." he could hear her flipping through pages, probably checking her planner to see if she had any plans. "Yep, I can do that. Where do you want to meet?"

"I was thinking the Starbucks near the park where we met?"

"Sounds good."

They arranged the time and then said their goodbyes. Richard smiled. He'd done it. Although it probably appeared like nothing more than two friends getting coffee together to her, he considered much more. He'd grown very fond of Kayla, even though he'd only met with her in person once. Their phone calls had allowed him to become better acquainted with her, but tomorrow would be different. He'd be able to see her face, see her smile, as she spoke. Being late in the evening, he quickly unpacked and then went to sleep. He wanted to be well rested the following day.

Richard arrived early to the Starbucks. He wanted to make sure she wasn't earlier than him and forced to sit by herself. He sat near the window and watched as Kayla walked through the door five minutes late. He waved her over to the table he'd claimed in the corner.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," she said as she set down her bag and sat down across from him. "Traffic was terrible and I got a phone call just as I was leaving, not to mention my computer stopped working this morning so I lost track of time while I tried to fix that. But really, I'm very sorry."

"It's okay, I understand. Things go wrong that we have no control over. Besides bad traffic and an uncooperative computer, how have you been?"

"I've been good. I took your advice from our last phone call and submitted that short story, and guess what? It's getting published! My editor said it was one of my best yet!"

"That's great!" Richard reached across the table and squeezed her hand encouragingly. He then removed his hand to avoid any unwanted contact. "I told you you were being too hard on yourself. I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks." And there was the smile he'd missed so much. It was as if she opened herself up, letting you see the contentment within herself and the love she seemed to have for people in general, a love few others possessed.

They ordered their drinks then. Richard let Kayla choose his drink as he wasn't sure what he wanted. He liked the drink, but forgot what it was called once they started talking. She tried not to drink too much coffee so she got tea instead. Once they were seated again, Kayla started the conversation with a question Richard had prepared for.

"So what happened to you? How come you suddenly stopped calling for two and a half weeks?"

"I've told you I live in a very remote location. Our satellite stopped working, so all the communication went out. We're still working on a way to fix it. And I'm afraid I wasn't able to get away until now."

"So does that mean when you leave, I won't hear from you again?"

"Not at first, but I'm sure it'll be fixed soon." He smiled at her to reassure her. It seemed to work, because she shrugged her shoulders and smiled again, appearing to accept the circumstances. "If you don't mind, I'd like to hear more about your childhood."

"Okay, what do you want to know?"

"You mentioned you didn't grow up in America, but in South America, where your parents were researching lost cultures."

"Yes. We traveled to many different countries, but I guess you could say my parents were sort of based in Argentina. That's where we spent the most times, and where they would sometimes leave my brother and me if they didn't want to take us with them. We didn't mind though. We had a private tutor through the company, so we were kept up-to-date in our schooling. I really loved when we were allowed to travel with our parents though. I loved seeing the ruins my parents were working on, and getting to speak with the natives. I used to speak several languages, but when we came back to the States I stopped using them so I lost that ability."

"Did you have a favorite language?" She thought for a minute.

"You know, not really." She sounded a little surprised by her answer. "I never became fluent in any of them, and I never fell in love with one. They were beautiful languages, don't get me wrong, and I enjoyed speaking them, but I don't think I had a favorite. It was just nice to be able to converse with the natives."

"So when you returned to the States, did you go to public school or continue with a private tutor?"

"I went to public school. I was a sophomore in high school when we came back, so it was a difficult transition. But I made friends quickly. Some of them went on to college, but not me. I started writing stories shortly after I graduated. It took awhile before anyone wanted to publish them, but finally one of the magazines I'd submitted a story to contacted me and asked for another story. And I haven't looked back since. Well, now that you have my life story in a nutshell, I think I deserve to ask you a few questions."

"Very well, ask away," Richard told her.

They continued talking for another hour before Kayla was called away by a phone call. She said she was needed at a publishing office and had to leave immediately. Before she left, Richard asked if she would join him for dinner the next day. She agreed, and Richard went back to the hotel wondering which restaurant they would eat at.


	4. Chapter 4

Richard walked up the steps to Kayla's apartment two at a time. He took care not to trip, but he couldn't help climbing the stairs quickly. He was excited to see her again. Knowing he needed to return to the island tomorrow, he wanted to enjoy tonight for as long as possible. He knocked three times on her door and waited.

"Hi Richard, come on in," Kayla said as she opened the door. He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. "You're a little early, so give me just a minute." She disappeared through another door, presumably into her bedroom.

Her apartment was sparse, yet cluttered. The furniture consisted of one love seat, an arm chair, a chest serving as a coffee table, though probably storage as well, and a desk with a small black desk chair. But the apartment seemed covered in papers, notebooks, binders, folders, envelopes with letters sticking out, pens, and pencils. On the desk was a lap top, also surrounded by papers. He smiled. It had a nice, "lived-in" feel to it, a quality missing in his own living quarters.

"Okay, I'm ready." Richard turned his eyes towards Kayla and took in her appearance. She wore a black spaghetti strap dress, with a ribbon resting at the bust line and the bottom half, covered in a thin, sheer material, floating away from her body and ending just above her knees. She wore simple black heels and her hair was held in back by a clip, with wisps of hair escaping and falling around her face.

"You look lovely," he said. He held open the door for her.

"Thanks. You don't look so bad either in that suit." When they reached the car, Richard again opened the door for her. The drive to the restaurant was short, located only a few miles from Kayla's apartment. Richard confirmed their reservation and they were seated quickly. After they ordered their food and the waiter left, they began talking.

"I'm sorry about the mess in my apartment," Kayla said. "I tried to clean it up, but I gave up."

"That's alright. It looked comfortable. I'm afraid my own home doesn't look like much of a home. I don't have many personal items to give it a homey feel."

"Hmm, well what could you add to give it that homey feel?" Richard didn't answer for a few seconds, not sure what she meant by the questions.

"I tend not to collect things on my travels, and keep only the bare necessities around. Of course, I make some exceptions with books."

"Well, how big is this house of yours?"

"It's not a house actually. It's more of a tent." Richard couldn't help but smile at the shock that appeared on Kayla's face.

"You live in a tent?" Richard nodded. "When you said you lived on an island, I assumed you still had houses and stuff. Why do you live in a tent? And does everyone live in tents?"

"Yes. We've ended up traveling a lot on the island, so we found it's easier to live in tents rather than having to return to our houses so often and leave them empty for long periods of time."

"Well it's no wonder you don't collect things. Where would you put it?" She smiled and shook her head. "I think I'll ponder that some more later, when I have time to think about it."

"Then if it's okay with you, I'd like to ask you some more questions about your writing." Kayla agreed and they continued their conversation through their meal and long after the waiter had taken away their plates.

After some time, Kayla excused herself to the restroom. Richard took that moment to think about his next move. He desperately wanted to tell her the truth about his life, his role on the island, and his elongated lifespan. But how would she react? How would anyone react to the explanation of the island and a man who never ages? He liked Kayla a great deal and wanted to spend so much more time with her. No other woman had ever made him feel the way she did. Deep down, he thought he might even love her, and the though of spending the rest of his life with her was pleasant. But what right did he have to ask her to give up the life she had now to join him on the island? How could he ask her to give up her writing and leave her family forever? And she would still age, growing older and weaker while he remained young and strong. He couldn't bear to think of living with her and watching her slowly die.

A thought occurred to Richard then that had been hovering near the edge of his mind for some time. It was absurd, of course, and completely impossible, but what other way was there? If Richard pleaded his case, there was a small chance it would work. But which end to tackle first? Should he consult Kayla first, find out her feelings and if she was even open to the idea? What if she agreed, but he had to return with bad news? He couldn't bear to disappoint her. The thought that he could hurt her was painful to him. Kayla returned then and asked him what he was thinking about. Richard took a moment to clear his mind and order his thoughts. He would have to word everything very carefully.

"Kayla, I haven't been completely honest with you," Richard said, watching her reaction closely. "My life and job on the island is a bit more complicated than what I've told you. I am an advisor, but I'm also a messenger." He could see from her expression he wasn't making any sense. He sighed, frustrated.

"If you don't want to tell me exactly what you do, that's okay," she said, trying to make him feel better. He appreciated her kindness, but it didn't deter him.

"No, I need to explain everything. The island I live on is very special. It can heal people; it can keep people alive even if they try to kill themselves. I work for a man named Jacob. He runs the island, in a sense. He protects it from those who would exploit it for its unique properties, and he guides a group of people living on the island who are also trying to protect it. These people, their leader is the one I advise, and I carry messages between him and Jacob. Jacob is the only native of the island left, that I'm aware of. The rest of my people came from different places. Jacob, like the island, also has special abilities. You remember I told you I had a physical condition?" Kayla nodded her head, though he could tell from her face he was starting to lose her in the conversation. "I don't age. I have been the same age I am now for several decades. It's because of Jacob I don't age."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"I wanted you to know everything so you could make an informed decision, knowing all the implications. I like you Kayla, I like you a great deal. Ever since that day we met at the park I haven't been able to get you out of my head. But, as you now understand, I can't be with you. I spoke with you that day at the park about being unable to be with anyone or ever have a family. That's because I don't age. My wife would grow old alone. I would live through my children's lives, their children's, and so on for all the generations of my family. I couldn't bear to do that. But you've changed all that." Richard was surprised by his own frankness, never having been one to express his emotions, but he could barely contain them now. "I don't want to spend the rest of my life alone. There might be a chance that Jacob could change this situation. If I spoke with him, I could ask him to take away my eternal youth and grant me a normal life, one in which I'd grow old like everyone else. Or," he paused, hoping she would get up and leave after his next statement, "he might be able to give you eternal youth so we could be together forever. But even if he agreed, I don't know when that would be. There are things happening right now on the island, and I don't know how things will end. It could be some time before we were able to be together."

Kayla said nothing. She stared at him, her mouth open ever so slightly. He guessed she was still trying to process everything he'd told her. He sat wondering what she thought of him now, after learning he'd lied to her and was now telling her what seemed like an absurd story. She continued to sit there, but her look changed from one of registering what he'd told her to thinking about the possibilities he'd laid before her. Wanting to clear things up even more, Richard spoke again.

"If you don't feel the same way about me, I understand. We haven't known each other for very long. You can be honest with me; you won't offend me. And I don't want you to feel pressured by me to make a decision now. You can take as much time as you need to think about what I've told you. As I said before, I thought it was only fair to you to explain everything." After several minutes, just as Richard thought it might be time to take her home, she looked at him and spoke.

"I do like you Richard, a lot. And when you called me that first time, I was as happy as I was surprised. You have given me a lot to think about, what with your island being so special and you having eternal youth. But I can tell you this: I don't care if I have to wait a year, I will wait for you to ask Jacob so we can be together."

Richard blinked in surprise, unable to quickly comprehend her prompt response. She was smiling widely at him, and he couldn't help but smile back. Her infectious smile was a gift, one he would treasure for all eternity. They stood up to leave, and Kayla surprised him yet again by throwing her arms around his neck and giving him a big hug. He wrapped his arms around her as well.

When he dropped her off at her apartment, he'd been unsure whether or not he should kiss her. He decided if she'd agreed to spend eternity with him she deserved a goodnight kiss. It hadn't lasted long, but it had been tender and wonderful. Richard couldn't remember the last time he kissed a woman, or if he'd ever kissed a woman at all. Before he left, Kayla made him promise to call her while he was on the island. Richard assured her he'd call her as often as he could. Then he returned to his hotel, wishing he could spend another day with Kayla, but knowing he had to return to the island. He fell asleep wondering how he would ask Jacob for such a gift.


	5. Chapter 5

Things on the island became increasingly complicated. Richard was busy most of the time, and found it difficult to call Kayla regularly. Still, he usually managed to call her, despite The Flame station being destroyed, once every week. She always asked him what was going on, and he tried to keep her up to date. He suspected she was writing down the events he told her, possibly to use in a story. If anything would make a good book, surely the insanity on the Island would, he thought.

But when Locke demanded to be taken to Jacob, had Ben stab him, and then Ilana showed up with the real body of Locke, things went from confusing to dangerous. It was as if a small scale war broke out on the Island. Richard managed to get inside to see Jacob.

"I'm afraid I won't make it this time Richard," Jacob told him. Richard was confused.

"What do you mean? Surely you can't mean you're going to die."

"That _is_ what I mean. You're going to take over for me."

"But I won't know what to do. You've never told me exactly what you do.'

"Don't worry, you'll figure it out." A cough overtook him, blood seeping out the corners of his mouth. "Oh, and Richard," he wheezed out, "you now have the power to bring her to the Island."

Richard watched as Jacob continued to cough, blood filling his lungs, and endure a slow and painful death. He already knew he was to burn Jacob's body on the stone in the back room. Jacob had informed him of that many years ago, for just this reason. Like always, Jacob seemed to know ahead of time what others would need to know. As he dragged the body farther back beneath the statue, the gun shots and screaming faded from his ears. He lit the body with his torch, leaving it to burn in peace. Then he returned to the madness outside.

It was a messy affair, but in the end, the right side won. Richard informed everyone of Jacob's unfortunate death, also telling them that Jacob had named him as successor. Many were shocked. No one ever expected Jacob to die. As the last native of the Island, he was expected to live forever, but apparently not even he could cheat death forever. Richard slowly brought the Island out of the chaos and turmoil it had been subjected to for so long. And finally, he was able to bring Kayla to live with him.

"So this is the Island, huh?" she asked as she set foot on the beach.

"Yes. What do you think?"

Richard was nervous, afraid she might regret her decision. Once things on the Island calmed down, he called her to tell her everything that had happened. He'd given her plenty of time to say goodbye to everyone, though without them knowing she was saying goodbye. Then he brought her to the Island. She seemed happy to be with him, which made him happy.

"I love it, and I love you." She then lifted her head and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I love you as well," he told her, wrapping his arm around her waist.

He brought her to their 'house,' the rooms beneath the statue where they would be living. Jacob had created a comfortable living area under there throughout his life on the Island. Richard felt it was only right to assume his role by starting with living in the same place as Jacob. Kayla immediately loved it, intrigued by all the Egyptian symbols running throughout the temple and tunnels.

He watched her take in her new surroundings, still in awe of her gracious acceptance of this new life with him on the Island, and still completely intrigued by her. There was still plenty he knew he didn't know about her, and he looked forward to spending more time getting to know one another. But that thought led him back to the problem of giving her his lifespan.

After spending a long time thinking about the last thing Jacob told him, about him having the 'power to bring her to the Island,' he decided Jacob had somehow given him the power to give Kayla the long lifespan he possessed. But even after knowing that, he was unsure of how he was supposed to do it. Jacob didn't tell him, and he couldn't remember how Jacob had done it for him. As Kayla came back and sat next to him, he decided it was time to discuss the issue.

"Kayla, when Jacob died and left me to take over for him, he told me that I now have the power to give you perpetual youth, like myself. Unfortunately, I still don't know how to do that. I'm not sure if there's some kind of ritual, or some words, or maybe just a simple action. I honestly have no idea what to do."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll figure it out," she told him, laying a comforting hand on his arm. "Do you remember anything about how Jacob gave it to you?" Richard shook his head.

"I've tried to remember, but no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to remember anything about how Jacob made me this way. There's simply the time before I met Jacob, and the time since I met Jacob. I can't recall any ceremony or special words spoken over me."

"Maybe it's not one thing, but a process," she suggested. "Maybe you just have to spend time with that person, knowing that's what you want to happen to them." Richard looked at her, surprised at her suggestion and also pleased by her reaction to it all. "But if you'd like, we can try all the cliché ceremonial rituals you'd like. I can lay on the floor while you dance around me, or maybe you need to sprinkle me with water from the Island," by now she was up and animated, demonstrating her ideas with a smile, "or you could sing me a song, or put your hand on my head and command my body to stop aging, or–"

"Or we can go with your first idea, which sounds the best out of all the ones you just listed off," he said, interrupting her. He stood up and walked over to her. He pulled her close to him, circling his arms around her waist and staring into her eyes. "All I know is that I'm glad I found you."

"I'm glad I found you too, since it was me who spoke to you first at the park." He smiled, happy to have someone to actually spend the rest of his life with, rather than spending it alone like Jacob. Then he leaned in a kissed her, treasuring the thought of all the kisses to come.


End file.
